Add Some Color to Your Party’s Palette!December 12, 2011
Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 4:32 PM
You can prepare this all-purpose dip up to a day ahead. Serve it with cauliflower and broccoli florets, carrot and celery sticks, and bell pepper strips.
Creamy Garlic-Herb Dip
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
Preparation
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Prep your veggies for your guests, and call it a day! This platter will be the hit of the party!
Healthy Hot Chocolate for the New Year!December 12, 2011
Filed under: - greenacres @ 4:24 PM
Indulgent as it may seem, a cup of rich hot cocoa can offer enough health benefits to dissolve any guilt. One cup has twice the level of antioxidant activity of a five-ounce glass of red wine and two to three times more than a cup of green tea. This version combines bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened cocoa with espresso, brown sugar, and orange rind for a pick-me-up that's enjoyed in Spain and Europe.
Barcelona Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- 2 ounces good-quality dark or bittersweet (60 to 70 percent cocoa) chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk
- 1 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 2-inch piece orange rind strip
- 1/4 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
- Cocoa powder (optional)
Preparation
Combine 2/3 cup boiling water and chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan, stirring until chocolate melts. Add milk and next 4 ingredients (through rind); cook over medium-low heat, stirring with a whisk. Heat 5 minutes or until tiny bubbles form around edge of pan, stirring frequently (do not boil). Discard rind. Pour 1 cup mixture into each of 4 mugs. Spoon 1 tablespoon whipped topping over each serving. Dust with cocoa powder, if desired.
Lula’s Toffees—Out of This World Stocking Stuffers!December 12, 2011
Filed under: - greenacres @ 4:13 PM
One of my favorite staples of the front goodies table--if you shop here, you know just the one I mean!--is Lula's toffee. It comes in just milk or dark chocolate almond, with 1 generous square of toffee, but it's one of the most delicious candies I've ever eaten. Lula's creates all their chocolate confections in small batches, lovingly made by the owner and his small handful of trusted helpers. Owner Scott Lund learned how to make these and other incredible chocolates right from the knee of his beloved grandmother, Lula Lund. Now he is making some of the country's finest caramels, truffles, toffees, and many other sweet and delectable treats. He uses only whole nuts, slow roasting them for optimal flavor and crunch. He also uses the finest ingredients like fresh dairy cream and butter and pure cane sugar.
Don't believe me? Taste them for yourself! I promise you'll be addicted. And as the title of this post suggests, don't forget to spread the joy! Offer these sweet little morsels to your loved ones for Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years, and Fridays! There's never a bad time to share these incredible treats!
Black Eyed Pea and Tomato Salsa—Simply YUM!December 12, 2011
Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 9:44 AM
Try this awesome twist on a classic salsa for all your party needs...especially your new year's gatherings! Get those traditional good-luck charms in your new year's diet with this healthy and simple dip! Goes great with veggies, breads, and of course tortilla chips!
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup prechopped red onion
- 3 tablespoons chopped poblano chile
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (15.8-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
Preparation
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl, and toss to combine.
Indulge in Fine Chocolate for the Holidays with Vosges Haut Chocolat!December 12, 2011
Filed under: - greenacres @ 11:25 AM
Vosges' exotic chocolates are made from the finest ingredients offered around the world. Owner/Chocolatier, Katrina Markoff personally chooses every spice, flower and chocolate that is flown into their Chicago kitchen. Katrina utilizes the original methods of French confectionery artistry which she learned during her training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Having graduated with the Grand Diplôme from Le Cordon Bleu and having worked extensively in France, Spain, Italy, Southeast Asia and Australia her collections of haut-chocolats have great, worldly inspirations. Inspired by her global apprenticeships, Vosges truffles have exotic influences of an "East meets West" theme. The infusions of rare spices and flowers combined with premium chocolate give a delicate balance of flavor, leaving you with a layered and lingering sensation of spice and chocolate, a true haut-chocolat experience.
Try some of their exotic offerings today…Why not start with their Bacon + Chocolate line and try out Mo’s Milk or Dark Bacon Bar. With tiny chunks of bacon and sea salt, this crunchy and creamy treat will leave you wanting more! Or for a more exotic feel, why not try their Enchanted Mushroom bar, infused with Reishi mushroom powder and walnuts…or get that classic antioxidant berry with your chocolate, and try the Goji Bar! Whichever flavor you choose, you’re bound to fall in love with these incredible, pure-tasting chocolates!
Try them as decadent stocking stuffers, hosting gifts, or party favors
…the sky’s the limit!
Fast & Easy Black Bean DipDecember 12, 2011
Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 2:08 PM
Start with black bean soup mix to make this zesty bean dip. Serve with slices of cucumber, bell pepper, or your favorite raw vegetable to make it unbeatably healthy, or try crostini and pita bread for a more filling option.
Cuban Black Bean Dip
Ingredients
- 1 (6-oz.) package Cuban-style black bean soup mix
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- Garnishes: diced tomatoes, thinly sliced green onions
Directions
- Bring soup mix, olive oil, and 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until thick and beans are tender. Let cool 30 minutes.
- Process soup mixture, lime juice, cumin, and chile powder in a food processor 20 seconds or until smooth. Spoon mixture into a serving bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours before serving. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container up to 2 days. Spread center of dip with sour cream and garnish with diced tomatoes and green onions, if desired. Serve with desired bread or vegetable pairings. Enjoy!
Mt. Vikos Treats You to Easy Entertaining!December 12, 2011
Filed under: - greenacres @ 12:14 PM
If you’re searching for delicious, sophisticated, and high quality offerings for your holiday party, look no further than Mt. Vikos Mediterranean fare. Surely you’ve seen our display at the front of their wonderful spreads, dips, biscuits, and more! If you’re just dying to taste them, drop on by tomorrow between 11 and 3, while we’ll be sampling some of our favorite Mt. Vikos products out for all to try!
You’ll also find Mt. Vikos autherntic Greek cheeses to try and to buy from our cheese case! These incredible Fetas and Halloumi cheeses are made with only the finest quality building blocks, a blend of sheep and goat’s milk. The herds are free-ranging, grazing on the hillsides, eating wild grasses, herbs, wildflowers, and local vegetation. Since the animals are outside, there is no reason to give them any antibiotics or hormones. The shepherds who tend the herds do the actual milking. The fresh milk is brought to the dairy where it is pasteurized and made into cheese the very next day. The milk is fresh, herbal, and clean, and it goes straight to our artisanal cheese-makers to concoct the fabulous end product that you’ll enjoy every time.
Mt. Vikos’s dedication to surrounding their fine cheeses with only the best pairings means they’ve created their own biscuits, hard cracker breads, and tortas to give a base, and a whole line of toppings to match. You’ll find apricot, fig, and hazelnut based sweet spreads, as well as savory dips like Artichoke, Red Pepper & Feta, and Kalamata Olive Taverna spreads.
Together, these elegant appetizers are bound to please any crowd. So let Mt. Vikos do your work for you this holiday season. Just open, slice, spread, and enjoy!
Yummy Munchies for Your Gathering!December 12, 2011
Filed under: Recipes - greenacres @ 10:08 AM
Orange Chipotle-Spiced Pecan Mix
Put a big bowl of these crunchy morsels in front of the TV for guilt-free muching during the game, on side tables for your mingling guests, or with your cheese course for a flavorful crunch on the palette. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 large egg white
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Directions
- Preheat oven to 225°.
- Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk. Stir in pecans. Combine sugar, salt, and pepper. Add to pecan mixture; toss well. Spread mixture in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 225° for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven; cool completely. Stir in cranberries.
- Note: Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
Shopping List:
- 1 orange
- Eggs
- 2 Cups Pecans
- Brown Sugar
- Salt
- Chipotle Chile Peppers, Ground
- Cooking Spray
- 1/2 c. dried cranberries
Try Our Custom Gift Baskets—The Perfect Catch-All Holiday Gift!December 12, 2011
Filed under: - greenacres @ 1:54 PM
It's that time of year again! ...time to make your list and check it twice. And how many of those people on your list are tricky to buy for? We understand completely! Why not order a custom gift basket suited to their taste and the number of people you're buying for! Our design team can build a basket to suit any taste...sweet and decadent, elegant gourmet, savory snacks, health food junkie, and so much more! And of course if we they have dietary requirements to plan around, we've got you covered! Our special diet baskets include gluten free, low fat, low glycemic, vegan or raw.
Call the store today to place an order, or drop and fill out a form with our team. You'll be glad you decided to...and so will your lucky friend!
